As 1K Canadians leave Lebanon, thousands more still eligible, officials say

As the struggle betwixt Israel and Hezbollah escalates, much than a 1000 Canadians person near Lebanon implicit the past 9 days done commercialized flights, with much seats disposable this week.

Since Sept. 29, a full of 1,162 people, including Canadians, imperishable residents and contiguous household members, person flown retired of Lebanon, Global Affairs Canada said successful an update connected Monday evening.

The national authorities began co-ordinating commercially assisted departures for Canadians looking to get retired of Lebanon astatine the extremity of past period amid an intensifying struggle betwixt Israel and the Lebanese militant radical Hezbollah.

Global Affairs is booking batches of seats connected commercialized flights. On Monday, 1 formation carried 104 Canadians.

Additional flights, with astir 600 seats available, are scheduled to depart from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, connected Tuesday and Wednesday.

“The ongoing situation has rendered communications highly hard passim Lebanon,” GAC said.

“Despite these challenges, Global Affairs Canada’s Emergency Watch and Response Centre successful Ottawa continues to work, astir the clock, 7 days a week reaching retired to Canadian citizens, imperishable residents and their contiguous household done each disposable channels.”

Tensions betwixt Israel and Hezbollah mounted after a deadly question of bombings crossed Lebanon past month in which explosives hidden successful pagers and walkie-talkies killed dozens of radical and wounded thousands, including galore Hezbollah members.

The Lebanese authorities and Hezbollah person blamed Israel for the distant attack. But Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility.

Israeli airstrikes connected Lebanon person fixed mode to a fast-expanding ground incursion against Hezbollah militants who person continued to fired rockets into Israel since the Gaza struggle began connected Oct. 7, 2023.

As the unit mounts, GAC said much than 5,500 Canadians, imperishable residents and contiguous household members successful Lebanon person expressed their involvement successful departing the country.

Out of these, 4,687 individuals person truthful acold been deemed eligible, are documented, and person been offered departure options, GAC said.

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“All funny eligible travelers with whom we person communicated circumstantial offers person departed oregon volition bash truthful successful the coming days.”

As of Monday, 25,300 Canadians were registered arsenic being successful Lebanon.

Canada’s Ambassador to Lebanon Stefanie McCollum says the “situation remains volatile” and unit successful the state has escalated successful the past week.

“This is simply a highly volatile, convulsive concern and we don’t privation Canadians stuck successful it,” McCollum said successful an interrogation with Mercedes Stephenson on The West Block that aired Sunday.

If needed, the Canadian Armed Forces are besides preparing for military-assisted evacuations, but McCollum said that is “an enactment of past resort.”

“What we accidental to Canadians is you shouldn’t beryllium counting connected that program of past resort. You should beryllium leaving present portion commercialized options are disposable earlier it gets immoderate worse.”

— with files from Global News’ Sean Boynton and The Associated Press